Father and son fined for fracas

A FATHER and son were fined on Monday for their respective parts in a Portpatrick pub fracas last year.

Robert Stewart, 52, of Heugh Road in the village, and son Barry, 27, of Ailsa Gait Way, admitted assaulting the owner of the Downshire Arms following a night out.

The court heard the duo had been celebrating the 30th birthday of Barry Stewart’s wife on the night of November 19 when time was called at 1am. Barry Stewart approached the bar some time after this and was refused service as he was too late.

At about 1.15am, he became extremely agitated and took his top of, refusing to replace it when asked.

His mother and the pub owner, Paul Phillips, intervened and tried in vain to calm him down before he attempted to hit Mr Phillips but missed and pushed him around the bar area instead. At this point, Robert Stewart became involved and both he and his son hit him on the head.

All three then became involved in a struggle on the floor before other patrons and staff split up the fight.

Paul Feeney, defending both, said that the “unfortunate incident” came about after Mr Phillips told Robert Stewart he was “going to have Barry” due to his ongoing poor attitude.

He added: “This was a drunken struggle by three older men who should have known better.”

Sheriff Kenneth Robb said he would regard the incident very much as a one-off. He fined Robert Stewart £660 and Barry £800.